Dr. Walter Watson: 100 Years Young and 18,000 Babies Later

Dr. Walter “Curley”‘ Watson was honored yesterday at University Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, as he celebrated his 100th birthday.  Some people call the obstetrician and gynecologist “Dr. Watson,” and some people call him “Papa Doc.”  Most people, however, call him the oldest practicing physician in the United States.

“Papa Doc” Walter Watson has delivered 18,000 babies in his lifelong medical career.  Many of those bearing the label “Watson Baby” were on hand to help University Hospital celebrate the nation’s oldest practicing physician on this special day.

“Watson Baby” Tom McAfee was at University Hospital to help the good doctor celebrate his birthday, but McAfee had other business to attend to as well.  His own daughter was being born that day, and you guessed it — little Audrey Marie McAfee is a “Watson Baby,” too!  Baby Audrey was delivered at University Hospital’s Women’s Center, conveniently named after Dr. Watson. She became an instant celebrity as she was named after Dr. Watson’s wife.

The special babies born to this elite club on Dr. Watson’s 100th birthday were rewarded with balloons and a baby onesie bearing their trademark, “Watson Baby.”

According to Healthgrade, Dr. Watson received his M.D. 67 years ago.  He has practiced at University Hospital since 1947.  Dr. Watson was unable to find a job right out of college, and he settled for work on a farm in Edgefield where he worked for seven years.  He plowed from sunup to sundown in his bare feet, saving his shoes for Sunday School.  He finally had enough money to enroll in medical school at Medical School of Georgia in 1939.  He did his residency at University Hospital in 1947 and never left.

It is reported that Dr. Watson still sees 5 patients a day and is currently accepting new patients, but generally no longer delivers babies.

Happy birthday, “Papa Doc!”  You are an inspiration to us all!

         

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Acupuncture May Help Depression During Pregnancy

Results of a new study from Stanford University suggest that women experiencing depression during pregnancy may find some relief with acupuncture.

Acupuncture originates from China where it has been practiced for thousands of years.  An acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of very thin needles through the patient’s skin at specific points on the body.  Needles are inserted to various depths.  According to traditional Chinese medical theory, acupuncture points are located on meridians through which gi vital energy runs. Acupuncture remains controversial among Western medical doctors and scientists.

The Stanford study covered 150 women who were 12 to 30 weeks pregnant and experiencing major depression.  52 women were randomly assigned to undergo acupuncture treatment specifically developed for depression symptoms.  49 women were assigned to regular acupuncture, and 49 were assigned to Swedish massage. The women in the acupuncture group received 12 sessions of 25 minutes each without knowing which type of acupuncture treatment they received.

Eight weeks later nearly 66% of the women in the acupuncture-for-depression group reported at least a 50% reduction in their symptoms.  Less then half of the women treated with massage or regular acupuncture reported similar results.

The study is drawing attention because depression symptoms are typically higher during the third trimester of pregnancy.  Despite the normal increase in depression during that last phase of pregnancy, the women receiving acupuncture specifically designed to relieve depressive symptoms found relief from their symptoms.

To read more about acupuncture and massage for depression in pregnancy, see Depression During Pregnancy at the Stanford School of Medicine web site for Psychiatry and Behavorial Sciences.

Depression symptoms are a serious matter, and they should not be ignored.  For further discussion of depression symptoms, see Depression Information on Healthline and talk with your doctor.

         

Guilty Verdict in Murder of Teenager to Steal Unborn Baby

Darlene Lee, Kia Johnson's mother - Image by Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette

Andrea Curry-Demus, a 46-year-old Pennsylvania woman, was found guilty on Monday , but mentally ill, of second-degree murder and kidnapping of a pregnant teenager in order to steal her baby.

Currey-Demus lured the pregnant teenager to her apartment, drugged her, cut out her baby, then killed her and tried to pass off the baby as her own child.

A long history of mental illness was presented in the record.  Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning said that Monday’s verdict was “perhaps more merciful than the defendant deserves.”

Judge Manning also stated that he was not satisfied that the Defendant’s psychotic delusions allowed her to form the intent to kill.  That was a critical issue in arriving at a verdict of second-degree murder, rather than first-degree.

The second-degree murder conviction carries an automatic life prison sentence without parole.  A formal sentencing hearing will be held in March.  It is likely that Curry-Demus will spend time in a prison mental hospital until doctors conclude her condition has improved enough for her to spend the remainder of the sentence in prison.

The family of Kia Johnson, the 18-year-old victim, is questioning the claims of mental illness, but is relieved that Kia’s killer will spend the rest of her life behind bars.

“She’s cold.  She has ice running through her blood.  For her to do something like this, you have to be a monster,” said Johnson’s mother, Darlene Lee.

Judge Manning, the prosecuting attorney, and the defense agreed that Curry-Demus was obsessed with babies.  She told her family and friends that she was pregnant, put her name on another woman’s ultrasound picture and even decorated a nursery.  She also claimed that she had several miscarriages and a baby who died of sudden infant death syndrome.

Curry-Demus met Johnson at the Allegheny County Jail in July 2008 while visiting different inmates. She offered Johnson a ride home from the jail on July 15, 2008.  Curry-Demus told Johnson she would give her clothes for her baby and persuaded the teenager to come to her apartment where the vicious attack occurred.

         

Babies ‘R’ Us Photo Studios Filing Bankruptcy

Managers of the Babies ‘R’ Us photography studio known as Kiddie Kandids received a surprise when they reported to work Monday and learned for the first time that the studio would no longer be open for business.

The Utah-based company ceased operations of its 184 studios across the United States, most of which operated inside Babies ‘R’ Us locations.  Employees of Kiddie Kandids learned of the company’s fate through a company email when they reported to work Monday morning.  There was no warning.

Tyesha Thomas, manager and photographer of the New Springville, New York, location, told reporters she had been informed that the company had ceased operations and that she and her staff were terminated.

‘You just can’t tell people they’re out of a job.  You have to give them some notice.”  Ms. Thomas had been with the photography studio for more than six years, and now as an unemployed single mom, she is not sure what the future holds.

According to Kiddie Kandids, the company was forced to cease operations when its banks quit funding the continued operation.  The company has experienced growing challenges over the past 18 months as sales have dropped during the current economic recession.

“Without continued funding, Kiddie Kandids was unable to meet its imminent financial obligations,” said Dale Merrill, the company’s CEO.  “We have exhausted all possible avenues for funding and have come to the end of the road…It is our hope that if the assets are purchased out of bankruptcy that the buyer will consider hiring back many of our employees.”

The company is seeking relief by filing a voluntary bankruptcy petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code.

It is unclear at this time what recourse Babies ‘R’ Us customers will have if they had already paid for services and products which had not yet been delivered.

         

13-Month Old Toddler Dies After Swallowing Watch Battery

Aidan Truett was a curious 13-month-old toddler, and like most toddlers, his little hand went straight to his mouth with almost everything he picked up.  That curiosity proved fatal for the young boy when he swallowed a watch battery approximately the size of a button.  Parents Lonnie and Michelle Truett are now living a nightmare as they come to grips with the reality of the death of their son.

Aidan’s parents first realized something was wrong when he began having trouble eating.

“I feel empty — there is a hole that will never close up, (because) he was my baby and he was precious,” Michelle Truett told Cincinnati WLWT-TV.  “I never would have thought in a million years that a battery could have been so deadly.”

Aiden’s father, Lonnie, told reporters, “It’s not just the acid — it’s the current passing through the tissues.”  In Aiden’s case, the effect was severe bleeding which eventually led to the young boy’s death.

Michelle and Lonnie want to send a message to all parents of young children.  They want parents to write down the battery size instead of saving one to take to the store.

The Ladens would also like manufacturers to place a child safety protective coating on the batteries in case a small child places the battery in his mouth.

The battery type which Aidan swallowed is known commonly as a button battery.  They are used in numerous household items, including watches, remotes, hearing aides, musical greeting cards, and other small electronic items.

         

Oklahoma Youngsters Become Blood Brothers Through Kidney Transplant

Ashton Owens and Brandon Harmon live miles apart in Oklahoma, but they became blood brothers nine days ago when they each received a kidney donated by the grieving family of a third Oklahoma family.  That family faced the death of their son on Christmas Day.

During the middle of a rare Christmas blizzard, both Ashton’s and Brandon’s families received a phone call inquiring if they could possibly make it to OU Medical Center for a transplant.  If you live in Oklahoma, you understand that during that time, all state highways had been officially closed because of 14 inches of snow in the Oklahoma City area.  On Christmas Eve winds reached almost 50 mph gusts, creating deep snow drifts.  The cars of holiday travelers trying to make it home for Christmas were stranded everywhere.

Well, sometimes where there is a will, there is a way!  Both families had a will for a son to have a chance at life.

Brandon’s family traveled about 80 miles from Duncan to Oklahoma City.  Ashton’s family traveled approximately 55 miles from Pauls Valley.

The two boys were evaluated for surgery, and the two transplants were performed back-to-back on December 27 by Dr. Puneet Sindhwani at University of Oklahoma Medical Center.  Dr. Sindhwani reported that both surgeries went well and that the boys were out of bed within days.

Ashton and Brandon have become close friends.  They played hide-and-seek with the nurses, and they even compared incisions. Their bond celebrates their new-found life.

Their families have mixed feelings as they celebrate their own joy, never forgetting that a third Oklahoma family is grieving the loss of their child.

“What they did was the most honorable decision a person could make,” said John Harmon, Brandon’s father.

“For them to give the gift of life to others is just amazing.”

To read more about these Oklahoma families, visit NewsOK.com.

         

Christmas Miracle Surgery for Baby with No Jaw Bone and No Parents

Pierre Robin Syndrome. Preoperative appearance. Image from medscape.com

Christmas is a time of miracles, and so it was for a two-week-old baby boy born with virtually no jaw bone.

According to the Star-Telegram, baby Don was born with Pierre Robin sequence.  This birth defect is characterized by a small lower jaw, a cleft palate and a tongue that balls up in the back of the mouth and causes breathing problems.  Babies born with these characteristics face a number of challenges.

The day before Christmas Dr. Sacha Obaid performed a surgical procedure known as mandibular distraction during which a device is attached to Don’s jawbone that will pull apart the bone daily, without causing pain for the baby.

“The small movements over time add up to a huge change, we are literally tricking the body into growing a new jaw,” said Dr. Obaid.

The cause of Pierre Robin is unknown.  Baby Don’s mother did not know she was pregnant until she gave birth, and it has been reported that she plans to place the baby for adoption.

Baby Don will be in Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, for about a month.  He will have to learn how to eat on his own before he will be approved for release.

The miracle surgery known as mandibular distraction was first pioneered by Dr. Joseph McCarthy approximately ten years ago.  Dr. Sacha Obaid studied with Dr. McCarthy, and then brought the surgical technique to North Texas in 2008.

Baby Don had his miracle surgery, and now he needs an even bigger miracle, he needs loving parents.  For more information on the search for a family for this baby baby, read Christmas Eve Surgery Set for Infant Without a Chin.

For more information on Pierre Robin Sequence:  Pierre Robin Syndrome.

         

Christmas Baby Delivered on Birthing Center Porch

Photos by STEWART F. HOUSE. Katherine Clayton holds her newborn daughter, Harmony.

Katherine and Scott Clayton celebrated Christmas by delivering baby girl Harmony at 8 pound, 8.5 ounces, at 8:08 p.m. on the wooden porch at the Allen Birthing Center.

The family was gathered at Katherine’s parents’ home in Allen, Texas, for an early evening dinner.  The dessert course brought something very special!!

The Claytons had decided months earlier that they wanted to have this baby using natural childbirth methods.  Katherine talked to her midwife several times throughout the day on Friday.  She was nearing the end of her pregnancy, but was convinced that some pains she was having were not contractions.  No one thought that a delivery was imminent.

Scott Clayton described the labor progression, “Katherine went from zero to birth like in the middle of the pumpkin pie.”

Katherine, a 28-year-old Wylie homemaker, thought it would be another day or two before her baby was born.  When the pains began picking up in intensity and frequency, the couple moved to another room.

Scott began timing her contractions as they realized their delivery was not going to be a “textbook” case.  They called the midwife and made arrangements to meet her at a nearby birthing center.

Katherine donned the new bathrobe she had just opened as a Christmas present, and then the entire family — both sets of in-laws included — set out for the birthing center.  When they arrived, the midwife had not yet arrived.  The birthing center was dark and locked.

As Scott pounded on the door and rang the doorbell, Katherine’s mother-in-law helped lower her to the ground.  The contractions were getting more serious at this point.

Julie Webber, a doula who provides non-medical support during labor, arrived about that time.    “I got there and everybody was so clam,” she said, “But then I relized they were calm because they didn’t fully see what was going on — the baby was coming any minute.”

The couple’s nurse-midwife, Kathleen Mayorga, then arrived.  It was too late to take Katherine into the center, and it was determined that the baby was going to be delivered on the porch.

As Katherine was screaming with her contractions, someone opened the door to the center.  The burglar alarm went off, but the keyboard jammed so they couldn’t turn off the alarm.  Finally someone closed the door so the alarm was not so loud.

The birthing center’s other employees arrived and Katherine and Harmony were taken inside for testing and further attention.  Mom and baby were doing fine, and within a few hours, the entire clan was sent home.

         

California Baby Dies in Bathtub When Left Alone

An 18-month-old baby girl died Friday evening after her mom left her alone for just a brief time.  The tragedy occurred in Buena Park, California.

Sgt. Bill Kohanek told the reporters that the mother was bathing the baby Friday night in the family’s home when she became distracted and left the bathroom.

Paramedics were called to the home at 8:50 p.m. when the child was discovered submerged in water.  The baby was taken to the local hospital where she was placed on life support.  The baby girl was pronounced dead at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

Police do not suspect foul play, but an autopsy will be performed.

The death of a child is an unspeakable tragedy.  The trauma of the experience becomes even worse as law enforcement officials take care of the investigative tasks necessary for a thorough and complete investigation.

The compassion shown by those law enforcement officials — or a lack thereof — will remain with the family’s memories of the tragedy forever.  Indeed, I believe that compassion can set the pace for the family’s healing from the tragedy.

When my own family endured the tragic loss of an infant several years ago, one of the police officers kindly suggested that someone call our family’s pastor.  We were able to contact a nearby pastor who was able to arrive at my son’s home to provide support and comfort before I was able to get there.

This family has many difficult days ahead as they wait for the autopsy to be completed and then plan a funeral when they should have been celebrating the holiday and opening presents on Christmas morning.  The pain will be fresh again when the autopsy results are finally received.  2010 will be likely be endured as they begin healing from their loss, but with the love and support of family and friends it will gradually turn to a celebration of the memories of their baby girl.

         

Duggar Family Update: Josie Doing As Well As Can Be Expected

Michelle Duggar reports to PEOPLE that her 19th baby, Josie Brooklyn, remains hospitalized at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

“Josie is doing as well as can be expected for a baby at her age.  We are taking each hour as it comes,” said Michelle.  “We feel so blessed that God has given us to her and are cherishing every moment with her.”

The Duggar family’s new addition was born on December 10 at only 25 weeks while Michelle was recovering from what her doctors thought was a gallstone.  Josie weighed only 1 lb. 6 oz.  when Michelle was rushed into surgery for an emergency C-section.  Doctors for the family advise that Michelle was suffering from preeclampsia, a condition during pregnancy that causes high blood pressure.

According to Dr. John Gianopoulos, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University, preeclampsia occurs in 5% to 10% of pregnancies.  Better known as high blood pressure or hypertension, there is no way an expectant mother can prevent the condition.  The condition is usually more common in a first pregnancy.  Josie was the 19th baby for Michelle Duggar.

“Her case is very unusual but not unheard of,” Gianopoulos says.  “Women who have a severe case can have swelling in their liver, which causes pain similar to gallbladder pain.”   The only treatment known for preeclampsia at this time is to deliver the baby immediately.

         

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